Design, Fabrication, Installation and Field Evaluation of 1000 kg Capacity Solar Drier for Chilgoza Seed Extraction

Abstract

The Energy Centre in Nauni, Himachal Pradesh, India has designed and fabricated solar driers of 1000 kg capacity of chilgoza cones extracting 100 kg chilgoza nuts in one lot. Five such solar driers have been  installed in different high altitude villages of kinnaur district. A study was carried out in Rarang village of Kinnaur district to assess the performance of the solar driers in field conditions. The results revealed that the seeds were extracted from the chilgoza cones in six days time while in open sun drying, the extraction time was 18 days.